Gillis Lundgren (Sweden, 1929–2016) was the fourth employee to join IKEA when it was still a small mail-order business based in the Swedish town of Älmhult. A creative director and designer full of ideas that he could quickly turn into practical products, Lundgren’s enthusiasm and vision played a major role in shaping what IKEA is today.

He began his career studying painting in Lund, later honing his drawing skills at the Malmö Institute of Technology. He then applied his talents at the Gumaelius advertising agency in Malmö. At age 23, he started working as a consultant with Ingvar Kamprad, helping create the first IKEA catalogs. He developed the IKEA logo, illustrated catalog covers, and photographed the products, while Kamprad wrote the descriptions.

In 1954, Lundgren was officially hired as IKEA’s advertising director, but he quickly became deeply involved in product development. Over the years, he would be responsible for more than 400 IKEA designs, many of which became iconic. His curiosity about new materials and clever, functional solutions led to enduring contributions. Early examples from the 1950s include the Ägget armchair, Axminster Bastad rug, and Regal shelving unit.

One of his bolder creations was the Impala seating collection, a futuristic design with ultra-modern lines and bright cushions set on low chrome bases. IKEA founder Kamprad was skeptical, predicting the company wouldn’t sell more than five. But to his surprise—and Lundgren’s delight—Impala became an instant hit, although its high production cost meant it was discontinued after just a year.

Perhaps his most legendary contribution came in the late 1970s, when Lundgren famously sketched the first concept of the Billy bookcase on the back of a paper napkin, based on an idea from technician Arne Hall. “That’s how we used to work. Ideas are perishable—you have to catch them when they come,” said Lundgren. The Billy bookcase went on to become one of IKEA’s all-time bestsellers. By 2009, IKEA announced that over 41 million units had been produced.

Gillis Lundgren’s blend of creativity, functionality, and practical problem-solving left a lasting imprint on IKEA and on modern furniture design as a whole.